It breaks my heart to see hundreds of commuters line up alongside the highly polluted EDSA to get an MRT ride. The line snakes 5 times that I wonder, what time would this people be able to reach home?
They stand there, rain, shine, in darkness, inhaling the pollution and nabibingi from the deafening vehicle noise. Every day. Is this a good way to live? Definitely not.
I feel guilty riding by myself in a big car. I could let 5 more ride with me. But I am not sure if they would be happy to do that. It would probably take more time to sit in my car in the traffic, than stand in the train. I don’t know which is better or worse.
One of this days I will do that. I will call out “Libre sakay papuntang Megamall at Galleria”. Baka naman dumugin ang sasakyan ko ng isang daang katao eh magkayupi-yupi. Baka pati ako ay mayupi.
I want to do something, but I just don’t know how to help those people. I have no power nor resources.
Do our good politicians know what’s going on in the lives of ordinary people? Do they even care? Truly, sincerely? I doubt very much.
I didn’t win in the US lotto. My daughter asked me what we are going to do with millions of dollars had I won. My quick answer, “I will give it away”. I will just get some to pay off my mortgages and for my retirement, then devote the rest in helping people. Send as much deserving students to college, give free medical care, donate equipments to public hospitals, give mobile patrol cars to policemen, etc.
Our poor country’s needs are overwhelming. I hate to say that I don’t see any improvement in the foreseeable future. Not in this government, not in the next. More so if we elect sagad sa buto na corrupt and incompetent officials.
When Edmund and I were in the US, many times I would ask him why can’t we Filipinos do some of the basic things that the US provides for their citizens. Edmund would always answer that we are 100 years behind. Naka bahag pa lang tayo, Ang America eh meron ng train and nice buildings.
Given that Europe and America were far more advanced, like 100 years ahead, eh it’s been 50 years since I was born, ganito pa rin tayo. lalo pang magulo ngayon. I do not see us going towards orderliness.
Why can’t we consult countries who are progressive and have systems that bring peace and order in their community? Can we consult those train operators from other countries. Bakit sila efficient naman.
Can we consult those knowledgeable about road planning? Hindi lang magsemento ng kalye, pero yung pinag-aaralan kung paano ang flow ng traffic, for easy mobility.
It took Oyen a solid hour just to traverse a 500 meter road. What the ef is that? That should only be a 5 minute ride. From Pasong Tamo to McKinley, two hours? What the efef! It’s not even December yet.
Two years ago, I could reach Tagaytay City in an hour. If I start from Pasong Tamo, it would only be a pleasant ride of 35 minutes. Beginning this year, it has become a two hour travel at least.
I was there today. Going up the Sta. Rosa-Tagaytay Road took us more than an hour. Why? Weekend? No, because there’s a funeral car parked right inn the middle of the road. One the side naman, at least a dozen vehicles with balloons were parked. They were all waiting for the patay. Hundreds of vehicles were caught in this monstrous and ridiculous traffic jam. Our time and gas were wasted because those local officials, including the barangay people were oblivious to the fact that nakaka-abala sila sa mga mamamayan.
Oo nga merong patay, pero tumabi naman sila, hindi yung patay, kundi yung mga makikipaglibing. So that hundreds of vehicles can pass and go on with their lives. Hindi naman kami makikipaglibing. Why did we have to be forced to stop? Such a waste of time, effort and gas money. Ang laki ng nabawas sa gas.
The ways things are must change, we Filipinos just like any human race, deserve a better living environment. But we are so backward, tila paurong ang mentality natin. We are causing ourselves all this unnecessary parusa. We should and must learn soon.
We are 100 million heads, are our brains not good enough to think of ways to improve our lives, environment, and our future?
As a start, can we have better officials?
Better means—those who
1. DO NOT STEAL MONEY FROM THE GOVERNMENT COFFERS,
2. DO NOT STEAL MONEY FROM THE PUBLIC,
3. DO NOT USE their POSITIONS TO ACCUMULATE BUSINESSES, PROPERTIES, WEALTH FOR HIS POCKET
4. DO NOT USE their POWER TO PUT themselves on PEDESTALs
5. VOW BEFORE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE THEIR REAL BOSSES,
6. REMAIN HUMBLE BEING TRUE SERVANTS OF THE COUNTRY
7. WOULD AND KNOW HOW TO USE their EDUCATION, INTELLIGENCE AND COMPETENCE TO THINK, PLAN, WORK ON PROJECTS THAT WOULD PROVIDE BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR PEOPLE
8. WOULD MAKE LONG TERM SUSTAINABLE GOALS FOR OUR COUNTRY’S PROGRESS
9. WOULD NOT PLASTER their NAMEs AND FACEs ALL OVER THE PLACE TO GLORIFY themselves
10. WOULD LEAD WITH HONESTY, INTEGRITY, SINCERITY
at yung manipis ang mukha.
